Marvel Has Found Their Directors For The Next Two ‘Avengers’ Sequels

March 24, 2015

Victoria McNally, MTV.com

So instead of “six seasons and a movie” from the Russo Brothers, it looks like we’ll be closer to getting six movies?

The news was first broken by Badass Digest, and later confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter and Variety that Joe and Anthony Russo have been tapped to direct the much-anticipated third and fourth films in the “Avengers” franchise. They’ll be taking over for Joss Whedon, who directed the first two films (the second of which comes out May 1st) and whose contract with Marvel expires this year.

Since the Russos first got their start directing comedy for TV with shows like “Arrested Development” and “Community,” their careers have grown exponentially — between “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Captain America: Civil War,” and a few episodes of “Agent Carter” here and there, they’ve certainly integrated themselves into the Marvel family.

And considering the rumors that the events of “Civil War” will greatly affect what happens in “Infinity War,” it only makes sense that Marvel would seek out the brothers to follow in the footsteps of Whedon — who, given the way he’s talked about “Age of Ultron” recently, seems pretty ready for a break right now.

Right now there’s no writer officially attached to the two films, but according to sources it seems likely that “Winter Soldier” and “Civil War” screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely will be back alongside the Russo brothers. Both “Part 1″ and “Part 2″ will be filmed together during one long shoot in 2016, with “Avengers: The Infinity War Part 1″ coming out in 2018 and “Part 2″ in 2019, according to sources at The Hollywood Reporter.

Obviously this is super exciting news, but we have one question: what’s going to happen to the Russo brothers’ partnership with Sony Pictures? They signed on with the studio for a three-year deal, but filming any Marvel movie — much less one that’s actually going to be two movies and which will feature probably every character they have on hand right now — is bound to be a full time job. Are things looking grim for that rumored Ghostbusters sequel?

Regardless of how that all pans out, one thing is clear: the Russo Brothers just became one of the most powerful directing pairs in Hollywood.